Anthony:

I want to welcome you to the forum. This place will be your best effort to really get serious about smoking. We have all been where you are today. Quitting smoking is probably one of the most difficult things that I have dealt with my entire life. And I am forever grateful that I found this place when I did.

You have made an important decision to take this first step. Congratulations! It is well worth the effort; you will find genuine and caring people here. We all started in the same place as you. Tired of being a slave to nicotine, life is so much better without worrying about your next cigarette, your health, your pocketbook and most importantly your self-worth.

You are worthy of this change; I only hope you stay with this forum. Post often, don't feel embarrassed if you falter. I have been on this venue for over 4 years, and I can't tell you how many times I failed only to pick myself up and keep going. Everyone has been there for me when I was ready to give it up. It's a wonderful place! Take advantage of everything it has to offer.

Feel free to contact me. I love to support our newbies. It empowers me to help because it keeps me on the right track with my struggle to stay smoke free. It will be one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It has been for me. 

I won't say good luck because it takes much more than luck to pull this off. 

Good day (and many more)

Andrew 

Good morning Anthony, reply just the way you did.

Have a great day.

Ernie

Good morning to everyone:  Your senior forum discussion group is just what I was hoping for:  a community of former smokers who have fought the good fight and are prevailing.  I cannot thank all of you enough.  July 17th is my Quit Date.

Reading the literature on this Website has been hugely helpful for me .  It increased my motivation to take the step to determine a Quit Date and then to actually refrain my putting a cigarette in my mouth.  Knowing that you senior members have been through the trials and tribulations of quitting smoking and still remaining smoke free is very heartening to me.

I have quit many times over the past fifty years that I have been a smoker.  I wish I would have quite permanently but , nonetheless, I am grateful that periodically I have given my lungs a respite.  Sometimes I have quite for several years at a time, but mostly three to six months at a time.  It’s all good.  

Now I am at the age where I definitely feel the deleterious effects of smoking so I need your support to help me make this Quit my FINAL QUIT.  That being said, I continue to marvel at many of you who have posted that even after you have relapsed,  this community helps you get back into the saddle, so to speak.  

My main takeaway right now is the ONE DAY AT A TIME.  That is my motto and mantra for the time being.  Just one hour, one day at a time.  

Thanks to all of you.  And , Andrew and Denim, thank you for your encouraging and welcoming messages to me.  It makes all the difference in the world.  Anthony

Wednesday 6pm

You're welcome!

My mantra today is "I just don't smoke anymore".

Simple but it works for me.

Good day (one at a time),

Andrew

I like that mantra:  I just don’t smoke anymore.  I will use that over the next few days.  My brain needs to hear that!!

Welcome Tony. The literature on the site is good, but if you can't find something, just ask.

Paul

Paul:  Thank you. I will indeed contact you if needs be. 

Oh, by the way.

Oh by the way, this section is not just for seniors. I may be 68 but truly I am only 16 in my heart. I never thought I would ever become 68 (or a senior). Having started this habit when I was only 16, I  feel that I am only beginning to grow in my decision to quit.... Then, I was a reckless kid never thinking that I would ever become an adult or have to make adult decisions. 

How did I continue to be misled into thinking smoking was an OK thing to do? All these years I never considered it to  go on this long. I thought I would wake up sooner than later. Fast forward to 2022 and I have remained  a slave to this terrible addiction for some 50 years... It's really crazy if you think about it. 

I don't mean to be so philosophical but I now value myself more than this stupid habit. How long it took! I'm tired of making bad decisions with this miracle called life.

The way I see it is that life is about change, think of all the things you have done in the past, some truly amazing, others not so. We only have so much time on this earth and I personally want to take advantage of everything I can before I leave. 

Food for thought Anthony.

Hope you are well tonight.

Good day,

Andrew

Good morning all.  Very hot here like just about everywhere.  At least not like the south, only 93 here. 

A little cooler today.  Nights must be warm in the concrete city. 

Kitty and I stopped smoking in 2007.  We are still very thankful to get out from under feeding the addition.

Our Cocoa dog was born December 2006 and I jogged with her every morning before work or enjoying the

weened days.  She's gone now and Brandy after her is gone also.  I love them and miss them still.  Now we

are gifted with having Chloe and Belle.  I walk them at 4:15 AM between one and two miles for their first

year while their bodies develop.  They have to learn to avoid traffic.  Some day we will go 5 to 10 miles.

For now I put in 3 hours a day on the elliptical with morning and night sessions.  I'm not just exercising

in my post smoking war, I'm a diabetic in remission so if I stop exercising I have to take all the meds and

eventually on to insulin, then worse.  Diabetes is always progressive so the more I can do now, the longer

before more critical steps.  I was jogging for 10 years, starting around 2000, before I was diagnosed with

Diabetes so I just kept going and sometimes further than I was. 

I believe Paul just stopped the poison smoke this year, hope I'm right on that.

I did venture out in the heat to get test strips yesterday and wife did a little shopping.  Worked on an old

Kenwood audio amp in the basement for a while after that.  Most stages in the amplifier are working now

but still not totally working, did a mod on it replacing much of the amp. 

Everyone have a great day

Ernie.

Cocoa, front, and Brandy, 2016.